someone please lock me in! my all time favorite baby boutique, sweet william, is having a summer sale 25% all summer stock! she has the very best stuff for baby and kids from mini rodini to ada ada to saltwater sandals, all on sale!

i am going post crazy since i will be on the west coast till monday and not sure how much time i will have to coo and ahh.
as i was packing i tried out about ten different bags to use as my carry on/diaper bag. too bad i didn't have my act together and order one these reversible bags from the bag shop. for $32 you get two bags!! i am obsessed with this black, white and yellow one.

i came across a write-up on this sweet limited edition book i heart the arctic ($12) in maeve magazine this month. i heart the arctic is a mini book inspired by the folklore of the arctic and inuit myths. i love this because i am basically from the arctic being from alaska and of swedish heritage! the illustrator, jacqueline bos, sells this and lots of other nice items on her etsy store. (for ages 4 and up)

i was recently reading lisa belkin's motherlode post on who you should put first in your life: children or spouse? she makes an interesting point that you should put your spouse first, which i am sure spurs lots of heated opinions, but i agree with her. our kids will get the attention they need--they demand it! and it can be very easy to put your partner's needs on the backburner.

this got me thinking about how hard it is to stay that romantic married couple you used to be while juggling a full-time job, baby and household, and how hard it is to feel like a sexy woman when you are keeping after a little one. i think i do alright, but i have moments when i can't believe how sloppy i look. i mean, i'm the lady who outright bans sweatpants in public--unless you are in route to gym--and never ever wear a band-aid colored bra--although i now own a nursing one!

this brings me to agent provocateur of all places. the super sexy, super naughty lingerie label--to my astonishment--has a maternity line!! so even when you are feeling über frumpy, breast-feeding non-stop, and your muffin top is out of control, ap has super flattering sexy items to make you feel like a woman--and not a mom--again! now you just need to find the time to wear it.

summer is here! at least on the east coast...sorry my northwesterns. here are some super cute summer tanks by two of my favorite northwest lables: little lark and klt:works. pick a couple up for your little one!

it's world cup fever in the city!! we all know soccer fans are crazy, but for those of us who enjoy a little global competition without the paint and wigs, here are some football inspired items for baby...

classic wooden blocks are beautiful, but there is only so much stacking and knocking down you can do. that's where tegu comes in...tegu makes these gorgeous wood blocks sets from sustainable wood that is harvested in honduras. the catch? magnets! the blocks cleverly have magnets inside, so your little one can stack, connect and create to his little heart's content!

i especially like tegu because it's a solution for those moms out there (including myself) who are torn between beautiful wooden toys, and more interactive--and potentially toxic-- plastic ones.

the round-edged blocks are perfect for small hands and they come in sets ranging from the discovery set ($50) of 26 blonde wood blocks, to the deluxe mahogany set ($125) of 52 blocks.

tegu is generously offering coos & ahhs readers free shipping on all orders in the continental US. use code: TEGUTOYCOOS, valid until June 30, 2010.

i try to make a point not to post a lot of mega expensive baby clothing and toys here, but, as you know, sometimes i just can't help myself. that said, i have long admired the shop flora and henri, but never featured them since they fall into the bonpoint category of gorgeous but way too expensive for the everyday mom to buy. little did i know flora and henri have a great sale section on their website! items are marked way down (50% off!). here are some sale items for the summer. i am a little obsessed with blue and white right now!

i have always held a romantic notion of the circus. something sort of dark and wonderful about the whole thing. it's such a fun theme to do in a children's room since you can really go wild with prints, bold colors, and, of course, the animals, although i do not endorse live animals in circuses--seems cruel. here is some inspiration...

i can't find the website for this label, ever/after, but the line is available at fawn&forest. this romper ($36) is adores! it says it's designed for girls but i say unisex! is the twist back to feminine? it's so cute!! comes in 6 colors.

also this mega cute sweatshirt ($28)--also designed for girls--i think it would be cute on a baby boy too!! am i crazy?

another great day at the craft fair. the wind was really stressing out all the vendors, i saw some tents practically take off!

i was surprised to find these super cool mexican-style woven plastic raffia maracas at the enfant terrible booth. i ended up getting one for $7 and henry loooves it. they are lightweight and make a good amount of noise, so they are easy for baby to play with.

this cuddly sheep (above) and little monster (below) are a great size.

porcelain loveliness by kg+ab. statuettes are made from vintage moulds.

at first glance i thought these were from ittikid, but at closer inspection the kom graphic tees are hand printed, which give them a real richness. it came at no surprise they are from argentina, they really have that european meets south american quality. that might not make sense, but it does to me!

i love this guy, daniel the master knitter! i know it's sexist, but i think it's so cool that all this knitting and purling is done by a guy! he makes these adorable sea creatures in all colors and sizes and also sells the patterns.

this just cracks me up! after seeing this i saw a little boy about 4 years old going mach 5 across the park with one of these capes on. his poor mother running and yelling after him. i had to laugh. the warning is not a joke!!

it is super hot and humid today. i felt sorry for all the crafters roasting in their tents, not to mention that i had to bring henry along for the whirlwind tour. lots and lots of graphic tees and onesies. i am heading back tomorrow for a closer look sans bébé. with over 300 booths there is a lot to see. this is just skimming the surface.

we're off!

my first stop was at kate sutton's (uk) booth. she had so many lovely things, from these french abc books (above) to the pirate carrots and birds (below). i also liked how affordable everything was.

pinecone + chickadee out of portland, me make these very boy-friendly tees. i love how bright and colorful they are! i actually have the fire breathing panda tee.

this beautiful little humpty dumpty by michiko schimada is made right here in brooklyn.

i had to go running from the coral and tusk booth--gosh, I love what they do!!! the pony onesie needs to me mine, well henry's. how cute is the birdie and mouse snuggle design (below)?

the mogo booth had a ton of really nice kids items, but i especially liked these pencil boxes.

these little aprons from chez sucre chez didn't photograph that well but they are very sweet in real life.

i was lusting over these gorgeous dolls by mimi kirchner. she hand sews and details each one with these amazing fabrics (some vintage). notice the tiny little buttons on his belt and his face is all hand embroidered. very special.

handsome howard with some very handsome onesies. i want that mustache one!!

lastly, acme print studio is run by rosie, an amazing textile designer. she makes these fantastic baby tees. i need one of every design. they are really remarkable. you can buy them tomorrow or later at sweet william.